Coaxial cable related services (“cable services”), such as television, Internet, and digital voice, are provided to more than half of U.S. households. Households receiving cable services are connected to a service provider through a coaxial cable network (“cable network”) that includes many individual coaxial cables which are connected to various devices such as hubs, amplifiers, switches, adapters, junctions, couplings, encoders, decoders, cable modems, set top boxes, televisions and computers, as well as other well-known devices (all of which are collectively referred to herein as “terminal adapters”). Coaxial cable is a reliable medium for conducting high frequency (HF) signals between and to the terminal adapters with a high level of integrity in the presence of adverse external influences that would otherwise deteriorate the HF signals or render them unusable.
The coaxial cable connections (“coaxial connections”) between terminal adapters and between the coaxial cables themselves within a cable network are a frequent cause of service outages for cable network customers. Fixing a faulty coaxial connection usually involves sending a technician to discover and repair the problem. A significant cost is incurred by the service provider in sending technicians to fix such connections. It is estimated that approximately 50% of service calls made by technicians result from simple problems of inadequate or improper coaxial connections. Such costs are reflected in higher costs to the service provider and to the customer.
A common cause of faulty coaxial connections results when the two parts of a coaxial connector are not adequately mated together to form a coaxial connection of high integrity for conducting the HF signals. In many cases, a faulty coaxial connection results from the two mating connector parts not being tightened together to a recommended torque specification. Both over-tightening and under-tightening the two parts of a coaxial connector adversely affects the integrity of the HF signal passing through the coaxial connection. Under-tightening the connector parts often results in a loose connection which can cause intermittent changes in conductivity, which can have the effect of intermittently terminating the HF signals or of introducing undesired and unexpected impedance into the signal path which degrades the quality of the HF signal. Over-tightening the connector parts can distort the shape of the electrical contact elements, which can also result in intermittent conductivity and changes in the quality of the HF signal. Both under-tightening and over-tightening the connector parts of a coaxial connection which is exposed to the outside environment may allow moisture to enter into the connector and degrade the electrical contact elements or introduce circuit paths and impedances that create an adverse effect on the quality of the HF signal. Indeed, outside coaxial connections may use different features of the two mating connector parts to prevent moisture intrusion, and because of the different characteristics of the two mating connector parts, may require them to be tightened to different amounts of torque compared to the different amounts of torque used to tighten the mating connector parts on an interior coaxial connection.
Tightening the mating parts of a coaxial connection to the recommended torque specification has required the use of a torque wrench. The different types and sizes of coaxial connectors have different recommended torque specifications, which the technician must remember or must look up. Looking up the preferred torque settings of different coaxial connector types is time consuming. Carrying and using an extra tool, the torque wrench, also requires additional effort. The practical reality is that determining the appropriate amount of torque and then using a torque wrench to connect the parts at that appropriate amount of torque, requires extra effort that is sometimes not expended by technicians. Instead, the technicians may simply use a regular wrench and apply an amount of torque on the coaxial connector which the technician subjectively feels or judges to be sufficient, apart from the specified desired amount of torque and apart from actually measuring the amount of torque applied.